"Du Lingfei achieved three successes, while Chen Zinan and Zhao Yiduo both achieved two... They've all t the requirents for promotion. I bet if the test weren't so challenging, they might have achieved four successes!"
Even as everyone began discussing the matter, with the friends of the testers cheering supportively and Elder Xu nodding approvingly at Han Jianye while preparing to announce that the test had concluded... Yan Xiaobao was moved. After thoroughly researching the final herb and resolving all his queries, Yan Xiaobao continued to completely ignore all the commotion around him. Fully absorbed in the information on the jade, he was completely imrsed in the Dao of herbs and foliage, entering almost into a trance.
No lightning or thunder could break his concentration, nor did he see the results of others' brewing efforts.
Of course, this drew so attention from the audience, including Xu Baocai. Curious expressions were clearly visible on their faces as they wondered why Yan Xiaobao spent so much ti on his initial observation.
"This Yan Xiaobao is too slow. Everyone else is done, and he's just starting. Shouldn't the test be over by now?"
"Hmm. You know, I don't think I've ever heard about any ti limit in the skilled pharmacist promotion test..." It's unclear who said this last sentence, but when people heard it, they turned toward Elder Xu with blank expressions.
Elder Xu hesitated slightly, but indeed, the skilled pharmacist promotion test had no ti limit. Therefore, he continued standing there watching Yan Xiaobao brew the dicine.
Han Jianye wasn't worried at all, even coldly smiling with disdain flashing in his eyes. Initially, he feared Yan Xiaobao might be a formidable opponent, but after this part of the test concluded, he was confident Yan Xiaobao couldn't surpass him.
Du Lingfei furrowed her brow; no matter how she thought about it, Yan Xiaobao was mistaken.
Yan Xiaobao's movents were incredibly fast, his eyes shining. To him, the entire world consisted only of that pill furnace. Various dicinal plants rapidly changed form as he kneaded them into paste, broke them into powder, or made other preparations. Then, after placing all ingredients into the pill furnace, he made a spell gesture with his right hand aid at the pill furnace, causing the Earth Flas below to blaze brightly.
Two hours flew by, and soon an intense dicinal fragrance wafted from the pill furnace. Yan Xiaobao waved his hand, causing a four-inch-long strap of Inkspirit Incense to fly out. Once it landed in his palm, he checked it and then frowned.
The audience's faces grew serious, and Elder Xu's eyes glittered. Yet, as everyone expected Yan Xiaobao to start his second batch, they realized instead that he was simply... studying the incense.
"What is he doing??"
"He succeeded! Why hasn't he started his second batch?"
Everyone watched in amazent.
As for Yan Xiaobao, he looked at the Inkspirit Incense with great dissatisfaction. Though he did succeed, he knew that according to the ingredients used, the incense should be seven inches long.
"What went wrong?" he wondered. Then he pondered the matter... for six hours.
Just as everyone reached the end of their patience, Yan Xiaobao's eyes glead. He prepared the second set of ingredients and comnced brewing. Everyone in the audience watched his work anxiously.
Another two hours passed. This ti, when the five-inch-long stick of Inkspirit Incense flew out, the dicinal fragrance was even more powerful than before.
Du Lingfei's expression flickered, while shock was evident on the faces of Chen Ziang and Zhao Yiduo. As for Han Jianye, his eyes glimred, yet his deanor remained calm. Only he knew that internally, he began to feel anxious.
Of course, his anxiety stemd not just from Yan Xiaobao's two successes but also from the potential of continued success!
Under everyone's stunned gaze, Yan Xiaobao flicked his sleeve, sending out a third set of dicinal plant ingredients. His third batch was now comncing, with all the Outer Sect disciples closely observing.
Two hours passed in silence. Suddenly, the pill furnace trembled, unleashing a fragrance more potent than ever before, resulting in a six-inch-long stick of Inkspirit Incense!
"Three consecutive successes! How... can this happen!?!?"
"How did Yan Xiaobao do it? Could it be that he has previously brewed Inkspirit Incense?!?" Surprised exclamations erupted due to the consecutive successes; it was hard for people to believe what they saw.
As she stared at Yan Xiaobao, Du Lingfei's Qi was dressed in ragged pants. Chen Zinan and Zhao Yiduo both wore dismal expressions.
"Three consecutive successes..." Han Jianye thought as he clenched his fists, his eyes now bloodshot. "He must be familiar with Inkspirit Incense. Well, he's fortunate with this batch, but the next will tell a different story!"
Just as everyone was anticipating Yan Xiaobao to begin his fourth batch, he held up the six-inch-long Inkspirit Incense stick and then frowned, thoughtfully rubbing his chin.
Then everyone waited for ten hours.
If such a thing had occurred during the first batch, everyone might have left. But seeing Yan Xiaobao achieve three consecutive successes, they knew a fourth success would elevate him beyond the others, reaching Han Jianye's level. It was sothing everyone eagerly wanted to witness.
"Yan Xiaobao has taken too long! It's rely a level-1 spiritual dicine! Why does he need so much ti to ponder it??"
Du Lingfei and Han Jianye were certainly the most invested, staring steadfastly at Yan Xiaobao, unwilling to leave.
At that mont, Yan Xiaobao's eyes glead. As he waved his hands, his eyebrows flickered, and when he began his fourth batch, herbs and foliage flew out. Everyone was now watching with full excitent.
Two hours later, a rumbling sound echoed, but not of failure. Instead, a powerful dicinal aroma spread, filling the entire area instantaneously. Then, to everyone's astonishnt, a seven-inch-long stick of Inkspirit Incense erged!
Fourth batch, once again successful!
The audience went wild.
"Four consecutive successes!"
"I can't believe such a thing really happened... How many tis will Yan Xiaobao actually succeed!?!"
"Two successes are the requirent to pass, while four gives you choice! If I recall correctly, Sister Zhou Xinqi achieved seven successes during her promotion!" As the crowd clamored, Du Lingfei's expression grew extrely unsightly. Though she realized Yan Xiaobao's mastery over herbs and foliage far surpassed hers, seeing the vast gap between them and the dicine concoction filled her with complex emotions.
As for Han Jianye, he gritted his teeth, clenching his hands into fists. He trembled, unwilling to believe what he was witnessing. Yet, everything was happening before him, so it was undeniable.
"Four successes! Four successes must be his limit. Any further attempts will surely fail!"
Everyone in the audience now speculated frantically about how many successes Yan Xiaobao might achieve. Then, they realized Yan Xiaobao was simply staring at the Inkspirit Incense.
"What's he doing? He's conducting more studies?!?" Though slightly frustrated, the audience had no intention of leaving. Instead, they remained seated watching, eager to see the outco of Yan Xiaobao's next attempt.
Sixteen hours passed before Yan Xiaobao finally took a deep breath. His eyes were completely bloodshot. Although no one realized it, the fourth batch he made was on the verge of failing.
"This Inkspirit Incense is far more challenging than any other spiritual dicine I've concocted in the past." Yan Xiaobao was cautious and ticulous. Reflecting on all his previous batches produced, he pinpointed the issue and after ensuring he could prevent it, began the fifth batch.
He paid no heed to any discussions around him; his focus on brewing dicine exceeded imagination. No word was spoken unless he was absolutely confident of success when he began concocting.
Everyone in the audience had remained there so long that they were exhausted and struggled to maintain focus, yet they all craned their necks to see what was happening.
It wasn't long before more rumbling sounds were heard. With the dicinal fragrance wafting strongly, its aroma enveloped everyone present, leaving them awestruck.
The fifth batch was successful!
...
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